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Maggard IJ, Deel KB, Etoll TW, Sproles RC, Lane TW, Cahoon AB. Freshwater mussels prefer a diet of stramenopiles and fungi over bacteria. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11958. [PMID: 38796489 PMCID: PMC11127930 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62245-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Freshwater mussels (Mollusca: Unionidae) play a crucial role in freshwater river environments where they live in multi-species aggregations and often serve as long-lived benthic ecosystem engineers. Many of these species are imperiled and it is imperative that we understand their basic needs to aid in the reestablishment and maintenance of mussel beds in rivers. In an effort to expand our knowledge of the diet of these organisms, five species of mussel were introduced into enclosed systems in two experiments. In the first, mussels were incubated in water from the Clinch River (Virginia, USA) and in the second, water from a manmade pond at the Commonwealth of Virginia's Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Center in Marion, VA. Quantitative PCR and eDNA metabarcoding were used to determine which planktonic microbes were present before and after the introduction of mussels into each experimental system. It was found that all five species preferentially consumed microeukaryotes over bacteria. Most microeukaryotic taxa, including Stramenopiles and Chlorophytes were quickly consumed by all five mussel species. We also found that they consumed fungi but not as quickly as the microalgae, and that one species of mussel, Ortmanniana pectorosa, consumed bacteria but only after preferred food sources were depleted. Our results provide evidence that siphon feeding Unionid mussels can select preferred microbes from mixed plankton, and mussel species exhibit dietary niche differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kayla B Deel
- The University of Virginia's College at Wise, Wise, VA, USA
| | - Tina W Etoll
- The University of Virginia's College at Wise, Wise, VA, USA
| | | | - Tim W Lane
- The Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Center, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Marion, VA, USA
| | - A Bruce Cahoon
- The University of Virginia's College at Wise, Wise, VA, USA.
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2
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Szlauer-Łukaszewska A, Ławicki Ł, Engel J, Drewniak E, Ciężak K, Marchowski D. Quantifying a mass mortality event in freshwater wildlife within the Lower Odra River: Insights from a large European river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167898. [PMID: 37858826 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
In the summer of 2022, the River Odra in Europe witnessed a significant ecological disaster, leading to an unprecedented mass mortality among fish, bivalves, and water snails. The disaster was attributed to toxins released by the haptophyte golden algae, Prymnesium parvum. This study primarily focused on the river's lower section, where the disaster's impacts were exacerbated by the downstream flow of deceased organisms. The Unionidae mussels' mortality rate in this section was estimated at 65 million individuals, marking an 88 % decline in their population. The native mussel, Anodonta anatina, saw the steepest decline at 95 %, while the invasive Sinanodonta woodiana decreased by 15 %. Additionally, a minimum of 147 million dead water snails, predominantly Viviparus viviparus, were found ashore, indicating an 85 % population decline. An estimated 3.3 million fish, predominantly ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua), bream (Abramis brama), and perch (Perca fluviatilis), were found deceased along the lower Odra, amounting to a biomass of 1025 tons. Across the entire 560 km affected stretch of the river, the estimated fish mortality was 1650 tons, a 60 % decline from pre-disaster levels. The swift deterioration of the river's ecosystem underscores the need for further studies on its adaptive capacity and potential recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jacek Engel
- Greenmind Foundation, Warszawa, Poland; Save the Rivers Coalition, Poland
| | - Ewa Drewniak
- Save the Rivers Coalition, Poland; Naturalist Club, Owczary, Poland
| | - Karol Ciężak
- Save the Rivers Coalition, Poland; The Society for Earth, Oświęcim, Poland
| | - Dominik Marchowski
- Ornithological Station, Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland.
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3
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Butina TV, Zemskaya TI, Bondaryuk AN, Petrushin IS, Khanaev IV, Nebesnykh IA, Bukin YS. Viral Diversity in Samples of Freshwater Gastropods Benedictia baicalensis (Caenogastropoda: Benedictiidae) Revealed by Total RNA-Sequencing. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17022. [PMID: 38069344 PMCID: PMC10707223 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Previously, the main studies were focused on viruses that cause disease in commercial and farmed shellfish and cause damage to food enterprises (for example, Ostreavirusostreidmalaco1, Aurivirus haliotidmalaco1 and Aquabirnavirus tellinae). Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have extended the studies to natural populations of mollusks (and other invertebrates) as unexplored niches of viral diversity and possible sources of emerging diseases. These studies have revealed a huge diversity of mostly previously unknown viruses and filled gaps in the evolutionary history of viruses. In the present study, we estimated the viral diversity in samples of the Baikal endemic gastropod Benedictia baicalensis using metatranscriptomic analysis (total RNA-sequencing); we were able to identify a wide variety of RNA-containing viruses in four samples (pools) of mollusks collected at three stations of Lake Baikal. Most of the identified viral genomes (scaffolds) had only distant similarities to known viruses or (in most cases) to metagenome-assembled viral genomes from various natural samples (mollusks, crustaceans, insects and others) mainly from freshwater ecosystems. We were able to identify viruses similar to those previously identified in mollusks (in particular to the picornaviruses Biomphalaria virus 1 and Biomphalaria virus 3 from the freshwater gastropods); it is possible that picorna-like viruses (as well as a number of other identified viruses) are pathogenic for Baikal gastropods. Our results also suggested that Baikal mollusks, like other species, may bioaccumulate or serve as a reservoir for numerous viruses that infect a variety of organisms (including vertebrates).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tamara I. Zemskaya
- Limnological Institute Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033 Irkutsk, Russia; (T.V.B.); (A.N.B.); (I.S.P.); (I.V.K.); (I.A.N.); (Y.S.B.)
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4
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Putnam JG, Steiner JN, Richard JC, Leis E, Goldberg TL, Dunn CD, Agbalog R, Knowles S, Waller DL. Mussel mass mortality in the Clinch River, USA: metabolomics detects affected pathways and biomarkers of stress. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad074. [PMID: 37680611 PMCID: PMC10482074 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Biologists monitoring freshwater mussel (order Unionida) populations rely on behavioral, often subjective, signs to identify moribund ("sick") or stressed mussels, such as gaping valves and slow response to probing, and they lack clinical indicators to support a diagnosis. As part of a multi-year study to investigate causes of reoccurring mortality of pheasantshell (Ortmanniana pectorosa; synonym Actinonaias pectorosa) in the Clinch River, Virginia and Tennessee, USA, we analyzed the hemolymph metabolome of a subset of mussels from the 2018 sampling period. Mussels at the mortality sites were diagnosed in the field as affected (case) or unaffected (control) based on behavioral and physical signs. Hemolymph was collected in the field by non-lethal methods from the anterior adductor muscle for analysis. We used ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectroscopy to detect targeted and untargeted metabolites in hemolymph and compared metabolomic profiles by field assessment of clinical status. Targeted biomarker analysis found 13 metabolites associated with field assessments of clinical status. Of these, increased gamma-linolenic acid and N-methyl-l-alanine were most indicative of case mussels, while adenine and inosine were the best indicators of control mussels. Five pathways in the targeted analysis differed by clinical status; two of these, purine metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism, were also indicated in the untargeted analysis. In the untargeted nalysis, 22 metabolic pathways were associated with clinical status. Many of the impacted pathways in the case group were catabolic processes, such as degradation of amino acids and fatty acids. Hierarchical clustering analysis matched clinical status in 72% (18 of 25) of mussels, with control mussels more frequently (5 of 16) not matching clinical status. Our study demonstrated that metabolomic analysis of hemolymph is suitable for assessing mussel condition and complements field-based indicators of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel G Putnam
- Conagen, Inc., 15 Deangelo Drive, Bedford, MA 01730, USA
| | - John N Steiner
- US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse WI 54603, USA
| | - Jordan C Richard
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Southwestern Virginia Field Office, 330 Cummings Street, Abingdon, VA 24210, USA
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1656 Linden Drive, Madison WI 53706, USA
| | - Eric Leis
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Midwest Fisheries Center, La Crosse Fish Health Center, 555 Lester Ave., Onalaska, WI 54650, USA
| | - Tony L Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1656 Linden Drive, Madison WI 53706, USA
- Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Christopher D Dunn
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1656 Linden Drive, Madison WI 53706, USA
| | - Rose Agbalog
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Southwestern Virginia Field Office, 330 Cummings Street, Abingdon, VA 24210, USA
| | - Susan Knowles
- US Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Rd., Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Diane L Waller
- US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse WI 54603, USA
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Knowles S, Dennis M, McElwain A, Leis E, Richard J. Pathology and infectious agents of unionid mussels: A primer for pathologists in disease surveillance and investigation of mortality events. Vet Pathol 2023; 60:510-528. [PMID: 37226493 DOI: 10.1177/03009858231171666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater mussels are one of the most imperiled groups of organisms in the world, and more than 30 species have gone extinct in the last century. While habitat alteration and destruction have contributed to the declines, the role of disease in mortality events is unclear. In an effort to involve veterinary pathologists in disease surveillance and the investigation of freshwater mussel mortality events, we provide information on the conservation status of unionids, sample collection and processing techniques, and unique and confounding anatomical and physiological differences. We review the published accounts of pathology and infectious agents described in freshwater mussels including neoplasms, viruses, bacteria, fungi, fungal-like agents, ciliated protists, Aspidogastrea, Digenea, Nematoda, Acari, Diptera, and Odonata. Of the identified infectious agents, a single viral disease, Hyriopsis cumingii plague disease, that occurs only in cultured mussels is known to cause high mortality. Parasites including ciliates, trematodes, nematodes, mites, and insects may decrease host fitness, but are not known to cause mortality. Many of the published reports identify infectious agents at the light or ultrastructural microscopy level with no lesion or molecular characterization. Although metagenomic analyses provide sequence information for infectious agents, studies often fail to link the agents to tissue changes at the light or ultrastructural level or confirm their role in disease. Pathologists can bridge this gap between identification of infectious agents and confirmation of disease, participate in disease surveillance to ensure successful propagation programs necessary to restore decimated populations, and investigate mussel mortality events to document pathology and identify causality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eric Leis
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, WI
| | - Jordan Richard
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Abingdon, VA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
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Burcham GN, Fisher B, Boedeker N. Histopathologic survey of free-living populations of 2 species of freshwater mussels in Indiana. Vet Pathol 2023; 60:628-639. [PMID: 37439539 DOI: 10.1177/03009858231185872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered groups of animals in Indiana, with nearly half of the native species either extirpated or listed as "state endangered" or of "special concern." Nationally, numerous freshwater mussel species are considered threatened. Freshwater mussel diseases are not well understood and few published accounts of freshwater mussel diseases with detailed histological descriptions exist. Mass mortality events within mussel populations are increasingly recognized, often with undetermined etiology. Our objective was to determine baseline histopathology in free-living populations of freshwater mussels. One-hundred twenty individual mussels representing 2 species-plain pocketbook (Lampsilis cardium) and fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea)-were collected from 3 different locations within the Wildcat Creek watershed in central Indiana during June and July 2019. A cross-section through the visceral mass was obtained and immersed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin, with routine processing and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Branchial acariasis occurred in 43/60 fatmuckets and 22/60 plain pocketbooks. Infection with a bucephalid trematode was recognized in 18/60 fatmuckets, while infection of the gonadal duct with an unidentified trematode species was identified in 4/60 fatmuckets and 18/59 plain pocketbooks. Additional changes associated with unidentified trematodes, bacteria, fungi or oomycetes, and ciliates were observed. Other miscellaneous changes included mineralization, neuronal lipofuscinosis, and gonadal atrophy/atresia. A range of histological changes were observed. These changes likely represented background lesions: incidental findings, spontaneous infectious or endosymbiotic conditions, or normal physiological changes that routinely occur in free-living wild populations. Awareness of baseline lesions should inform future diagnostic investigations of mussel mortality events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brant Fisher
- Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Edinburgh, IN
| | - Nancy Boedeker
- Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN and Dubois, IN
- Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indianapolis, IN
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Richard JC, Blevins E, Dunn CD, Leis EM, Goldberg TL. Viruses of Freshwater Mussels during Mass Mortality Events in Oregon and Washington, USA. Viruses 2023; 15:1719. [PMID: 37632061 PMCID: PMC10458741 DOI: 10.3390/v15081719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Freshwater mussels (Unionida) are globally imperiled, in part due to largely unexplained mass mortality events (MMEs). While recent studies have begun to investigate the possibility that mussel MMEs in the Eastern USA may be caused by infectious diseases, mussels in the Western USA have received relatively little attention in this regard. We conducted a two-year epidemiologic investigation of the role of viruses in ongoing MMEs of the Western pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) and the Western ridged mussel (Gonidea angulata) in the Chehalis River and Columbia River watersheds in the Western USA. We characterized viromes of mussel hemolymph from 5 locations in 2018 and 2020 using metagenomic methods and identified 557 viruses based on assembled contiguous sequences, most of which are novel. We also characterized the distribution and diversity of a previously identified mussel Gammarhabdovirus related to pathogenic finfish viruses. Overall, we found few consistent associations between viruses and mussel health status. Variation in mussel viromes was most strongly driven by location, with little influence from date, species, or health status, though these variables together only explained ~1/3 of variation in virome composition. Our results demonstrate that Western freshwater mussels host remarkably diverse viromes, but no single virus or combination of viruses appears to be associated with morbidity or mortality during MMEs. Our findings have implications for the conservation of imperiled freshwater mussels, including efforts to enhance natural populations through captive propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan C. Richard
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Freshwater & Marine Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
- Southwestern Virginia Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Abingdon, VA 24210, USA
| | - Emilie Blevins
- Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, OR 97232, USA;
| | - Christopher D. Dunn
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Freshwater & Marine Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
| | - Eric M. Leis
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, Midwest Fisheries Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, WI 54650, USA;
| | - Tony L. Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Freshwater & Marine Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
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Waller D, Putnam J, Steiner JN, Fisher B, Burcham GN, Oliver J, Smith SB, Erickson R, Remek A, Bodoeker N. Targeted metabolomics characterizes metabolite occurrence and variability in stable freshwater mussel populations. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad040. [PMID: 37701372 PMCID: PMC10494281 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater mussels (order Unionida) play a key role in freshwater systems as ecosystem engineers and indicators of aquatic ecosystem health. The fauna is globally imperilled due to a diversity of suspected factors; however, causes for many population declines and mortality events remain unconfirmed due partly to limited health assessment tools. Mussel-monitoring activities often rely on population-level measurements, such as abundance and age structure, which reflect delayed responses to environmental conditions. Measures of organismal health would enable preemptive detection of declining condition before population-level effects manifest. Metabolomic analysis can identify shifts in biochemical pathways in response to stressors and changing environmental conditions; however, interpretation of the results requires information on inherent variability of metabolite concentrations in mussel populations. We targeted metabolites in the haemolymph of two common mussels, Lampsilis cardium and Lampsilis siliquoidea, from three Indiana streams (USA) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. The influence of species, stream and sex on metabolite variability was examined with distance-based redundancy analysis. Metabolite variability was most influenced by species, followed by site and sex. Inter- and intraspecies metabolite variability among sexes was less distinct than differences among locations. We further categorized metabolites by occurrence and variability in mussel populations. Metabolites with high occurrence (Categories 1 and 2) included those indicative of energy status (catabolism versus anabolism; arginine, proline, carnitine, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid), oxidative stress (proline, glutamine, glutamate) and protein metabolism (thymidine, cytidine, inosine). Metabolites with lower occurrence (Category 3) are constituents of assorted metabolic pathways and can be important biomarkers with additional temporal sampling to characterize their variability. These data provide a reference for future temporal (before/after) monitoring and for studies of stressor-metabolite linkages in freshwater mussels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Waller
- United States Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA
| | - Joel Putnam
- Conagen, Inc., 15 Deangelo Dr, Bedford, MA 01730, USA
| | - J Nolan Steiner
- United States Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA
| | - Brant Fisher
- Indiana Department of Natural Resources – Division of Fish & Wildlife, Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area, 7970 South Rowe Street, Edinburgh, IN 46124, USA
| | - Grant N Burcham
- Heeke Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, 11367 East Purdue Farm Road, Dubois, IN 47527 and Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - John Oliver
- United States Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA
| | - Stephen B Smith
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2471 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Richard Erickson
- United States Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA
| | - Anne Remek
- 200 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46204, USA
| | - Nancy Bodoeker
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, 625 Harrison St. West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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Goldberg TL, Blevins E, Leis EM, Standish IF, Richard JC, Lueder MR, Cer RZ, Bishop-Lilly KA. Plasticity, Paralogy, and Pseudogenization: Rhabdoviruses of Freshwater Mussels Elucidate Mechanisms of Viral Genome Diversification and the Evolution of the Finfish-Infecting Rhabdoviral Genera. J Virol 2023; 97:e0019623. [PMID: 37154732 PMCID: PMC10231222 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00196-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses in the family Rhabdoviridae display remarkable genomic variation and ecological diversity. This plasticity occurs despite the fact that, as negative sense RNA viruses, rhabdoviruses rarely if ever recombine. Here, we describe nonrecombinatorial evolutionary processes leading to genomic diversification in the Rhabdoviridae inferred from two novel rhabdoviruses of freshwater mussels (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionida). Killamcar virus 1 (KILLV-1) from a plain pocketbook (Lampsilis cardium) is closely related phylogenetically and transcriptionally to finfish-infecting viruses in the subfamily Alpharhabdovirinae. KILLV-1 offers a novel example of glycoprotein gene duplication, differing from previous examples in that the paralogs overlap. Evolutionary analyses reveal a clear pattern of relaxed selection due to subfunctionalization in rhabdoviral glycoprotein paralogs, which has not previously been described in RNA viruses. Chemarfal virus 1 (CHMFV-1) from a western pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) is closely related phylogenetically and transcriptionally to viruses in the genus Novirhabdovirus, the sole recognized genus in the subfamily Gammarhabdovirinae, representing the first known gammarhabdovirus of a host other than finfish. The CHMFV-1 G-L noncoding region contains a nontranscribed remnant gene of precisely the same length as the NV gene of most novirhabdoviruses, offering a compelling example of pseudogenization. The unique reproductive strategy of freshwater mussels involves an obligate parasitic stage in which larvae encyst in the tissues of finfish, offering a plausible ecological mechanism for viral host-switching. IMPORTANCE Viruses in the family Rhabdoviridae infect a variety of hosts, including vertebrates, invertebrates, plants and fungi, with important consequences for health and agriculture. This study describes two newly discovered viruses of freshwater mussels from the United States. One virus from a plain pocketbook (Lampsilis cardium) is closely related to fish-infecting viruses in the subfamily Alpharhabdovirinae. The other virus from a western pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) is closely related to viruses in the subfamily Gammarhabdovirinae, which until now were only known to infect finfish. Genome features of both viruses provide new evidence of how rhabdoviruses evolved their extraordinary variability. Freshwater mussel larvae attach to fish and feed on tissues and blood, which may explain how rhabdoviruses originally jumped between mussels and fish. The significance of this research is that it improves our understanding of rhabdovirus ecology and evolution, shedding new light on these important viruses and the diseases they cause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony L. Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Emilie Blevins
- Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Eric M. Leis
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, La Crosse Fish Health Center, Midwest Fisheries Center, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Isaac F. Standish
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, La Crosse Fish Health Center, Midwest Fisheries Center, Onalaska, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jordan C. Richard
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southwestern Virginia Field Office, Abingdon, Virginia, USA
| | - Matthew R. Lueder
- Leidos, Reston, Virginia, USA
- Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command–Frederick, Fort Detrick, Maryland, USA
| | - Regina Z. Cer
- Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command–Frederick, Fort Detrick, Maryland, USA
| | - Kimberly A. Bishop-Lilly
- Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command–Frederick, Fort Detrick, Maryland, USA
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Leis EM, Dziki S, Standish I, Waller D, Richard J, Weinzinger J, Harris C, Knowles S, Goldberg T. A Bacteriological Comparison of the Hemolymph from Healthy and Moribund Unionid Mussel Populations in the Upper Midwestern U.S.A. Prompts the Development of Diagnostic Assays to Detect Yokenella regensburgei. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041068. [PMID: 37110491 PMCID: PMC10145785 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent bacteriological investigations of freshwater mussel mortality events in the southeastern United States have identified a variety of bacteria and differences in bacterial communities between sick and healthy mussels. In particular, Yokenella regensburgei and Aeromonas spp. have been shown to be associated with moribund mussels, although it remains unclear whether these bacteria are causes or consequences of disease. To further understand the role of bacteria in mussel epizootics, we investigated mortality events that occurred in the upper Midwest in the Embarrass River (Wisconsin) and the Huron River (Michigan). For comparison, we also studied mussels from an unaffected population in the St. Croix River (Wisconsin). Diverse bacterial genera were identified from these sites, including Y. regensburgei from moribund mussels in the Embarrass River (Wisconsin). This bacterium has also been consistently isolated during ongoing mortality events in the Clinch River (Virginia). Subsequently, we developed and validated molecular assays for the detection of Yokenella to use in future investigations of mussel mortality events and to identify environmental reservoirs of this bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Leis
- La Crosse Fish Health Center-Midwest Fisheries Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, WI 54650, USA
| | - Sara Dziki
- La Crosse Fish Health Center-Midwest Fisheries Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, WI 54650, USA
| | - Isaac Standish
- La Crosse Fish Health Center-Midwest Fisheries Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, WI 54650, USA
| | - Diane Waller
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA
| | - Jordan Richard
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Freshwater & Marine Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53711, USA
- Southwestern Virginia Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Abingdon, VA 24210, USA
| | - Jesse Weinzinger
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI 53703, USA
| | - Cleyo Harris
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Waterford, MI 48327, USA
| | - Susan Knowles
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Tony Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Freshwater & Marine Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53711, USA
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Sousa R, Zając T, Halabowski D, Aksenova OV, Bespalaya YV, Carvalho F, Castro P, Douda K, da Silva JP, Ferreira-Rodríguez N, Geist J, Gumpinger C, Labecka AM, Lajtner J, Lewin I, Lopes-Lima M, Meira A, Nakamura K, Nogueira JG, Ondina P, Ożgo M, Reis J, Riccardi N, Shumka S, Son MO, Teixeira A, Thielen F, Urbańska M, Varandas S, Wengström N, Zając K, Zieritz A, Aldridge DC. A roadmap for the conservation of freshwater mussels in Europe. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e13994. [PMID: 36047704 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Europe has a long history of human pressure on freshwater ecosystems. As pressure continues to grow and new threats emerge, there is an urgent need for conservation of freshwater biodiversity and its ecosystem services. However, whilst some taxonomic groups, mainly vertebrates, have received a disproportionate amount of attention and funds, other groups remain largely off the public and scientific radar. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) are an alarming example of this conservation bias and here we point out six conceptual areas that need immediate and long-term attention: knowledge, threats, socioeconomics, conservation, governance and education. The proposed roadmap aims to advance research, policy and education by identifying the most pressing priorities for the short- and long-term conservation of freshwater mussels across Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronaldo Sousa
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Tadeusz Zając
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Dariusz Halabowski
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Olga V Aksenova
- Russian Museum of Biodiversity Hotspots, Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Arkhangelsk, Russia
| | - Yulia V Bespalaya
- Russian Museum of Biodiversity Hotspots, Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources, N. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Arkhangelsk, Russia
| | - Francisco Carvalho
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Paulo Castro
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Karel Douda
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Janine P da Silva
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Noé Ferreira-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Juergen Geist
- Technical University of Munich, Aquatic Systems Biology, Freising, Germany
| | - Clemens Gumpinger
- Consultants in Aquatic Ecology and Engineering - blattfisch e.U., Wels, Austria
| | - Anna M Labecka
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jasna Lajtner
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Iga Lewin
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Manuel Lopes-Lima
- CIBIO/InBIO/BIOPOLIS - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Meira
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Keiko Nakamura
- Environmental Service Department, Sociedad Aragonesa de Gestión Agroambiental (SARGA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Joana Garrido Nogueira
- CIBIO/InBIO/BIOPOLIS - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Paz Ondina
- Dpt. de Zooloxía, Xenética e Antropoloxía Fïsica, Facultade de Veterinaria, University of Santiago de Compostela, IBADER- Instituto de Biodiversidade Agraria e Desenvolvemento Rural, Lugo, Spain
| | - Małgorzata Ożgo
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Joaquim Reis
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Spase Shumka
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food, Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Mikhail O Son
- Institute of Marine Biology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Odessa, Ukraine
| | - Amílcar Teixeira
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Frankie Thielen
- Fondation Hëllef fir d'Natur by natur & ëmwelt (NGO), Kierchestrooss, Luxembourg
| | - Maria Urbańska
- Department of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Simone Varandas
- CIBIO/InBIO/BIOPOLIS - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
- Forestry Department, CITAB-UTAD - Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | | | - Katarzyna Zając
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
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Lewisch E, Arnold F, Fuehrer HP, Harl J, Thielen F, El-Matbouli M. Parasites and their impact on thick-shelled river mussels Unio crassus from two populations in Luxembourg. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2023; 153:31-43. [PMID: 36794839 DOI: 10.3354/dao03718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The thick-shelled river mussel Unio crassus Philipsson, 1788 is a species native to many European habitats, with declining populations. The impact of parasite communities on health status of this species is poorly understood. In this study, parasites of 30 U. crassus specimens from the Our and Sauer Rivers in Luxembourg were identified morphologically and, in some cases, using molecular genetic methods. The findings were correlated to selected parameters (total length, visceral weight, shell lesions, gonadal stage). The 2 populations did not differ in shell length, visceral weight, number of males and females, gonadal scoring, shell lesions, and the occurrence of glochidia. The prevalence and infestation intensities of detected Trichodina sp., Conchophthirus sp., and freshwater mite larvae did not differ between the 2 populations, whereas the prevalence and infestation intensities of mite eggs, nymphs, and adults were significantly higher in the Sauer River. Rhipidocotyle campanula and European bitterling Rhodeus amarus larvae were only present in the Sauer. Histopathology revealed the destruction of the gonads by R. campanula and tissue damage by the mites. The only significant correlation of the selected parameters was a positive correlation between R. amarus occurrence and total length as well as a negative correlation between R. amarus occurrence and gonadal stage. In the Sauer River, 2 mussels were found to be hermaphrodites.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Lewisch
- Clinical Division of Fish Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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13
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Aldridge DC, Ollard IS, Bespalaya YV, Bolotov IN, Douda K, Geist J, Haag WR, Klunzinger MW, Lopes‐Lima M, Mlambo MC, Riccardi N, Sousa R, Strayer DL, Torres SH, Vaughn CC, Zając T, Zieritz A. Freshwater mussel conservation: A global horizon scan of emerging threats and opportunities. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:575-589. [PMID: 36444494 PMCID: PMC10100069 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We identified 14 emerging and poorly understood threats and opportunities for addressing the global conservation of freshwater mussels over the next decade. A panel of 17 researchers and stakeholders from six continents submitted a total of 56 topics that were ranked and prioritized using a consensus-building Delphi technique. Our 14 priority topics fell into five broad themes (autecology, population dynamics, global stressors, global diversity, and ecosystem services) and included understanding diets throughout mussel life history; identifying the drivers of population declines; defining metrics for quantifying mussel health; assessing the role of predators, parasites, and disease; informed guidance on the risks and opportunities for captive breeding and translocations; the loss of mussel-fish co-evolutionary relationships; assessing the effects of increasing surface water changes; understanding the effects of sand and aggregate mining; understanding the effects of drug pollution and other emerging contaminants such as nanomaterials; appreciating the threats and opportunities arising from river restoration; conserving understudied hotspots by building local capacity through the principles of decolonization; identifying appropriate taxonomic units for conservation; improved quantification of the ecosystem services provided by mussels; and understanding how many mussels are enough to provide these services. Solutions for addressing the topics ranged from ecological studies to technological advances and socio-political engagement. Prioritization of our topics can help to drive a proactive approach to the conservation of this declining group which provides a multitude of important ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C. Aldridge
- Aquatic Ecology Group, Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Isobel S. Ollard
- Aquatic Ecology Group, Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Yulia V. Bespalaya
- N. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of SciencesArkhangelskRussia
| | - Ivan N. Bolotov
- N. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of SciencesArkhangelskRussia
- Northern Arctic Federal UniversityArkhangelskRussia
| | - Karel Douda
- Department of Zoology and FisheriesCzech University of Life Sciences PraguePragueCzech Republic
| | - Juergen Geist
- Aquatic Systems Biology UnitTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Wendell R. Haag
- Southern Research Station, Center for Bottomland Hardwoods ResearchU.S. Forest ServiceFrankfortKentuckyUSA
| | - Michael W. Klunzinger
- Australian Rivers InstituteGriffith UniversityNathanQueenslandAustralia
- Department of Aquatic ZoologyWestern Australian MuseumWelshpoolWestern AustralianAustralia
| | - Manuel Lopes‐Lima
- CIBIO/InBIO/BIOPOLIS—Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic ResourcesUniversity of PortoVairãoPortugal
| | - Musa C. Mlambo
- Department of Freshwater InvertebratesAlbany MuseumMakhandaSouth Africa
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyRhodes UniversityMakhandaSouth Africa
| | | | - Ronaldo Sousa
- CBMA—Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of BiologyUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
| | - David L. Strayer
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem StudiesMillbrookNew YorkUSA
- Graham Sustainability InstituteUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Santiago H. Torres
- Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia Santa Cruz (CONICET, UNPA, UTN), Unidad Académica San JuliánUniversidad Nacional de la Patagonia AustralSanta CruzArgentina
| | - Caryn C. Vaughn
- Oklahoma Biological Survey and Department of BiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
| | - Tadeusz Zając
- Institute of Nature ConservationPolish Academy of SciencesKrakówPoland
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14
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Adams A, Danylchuk AJ, Cooke SJ. Conservation connections: incorporating connectivity into management and conservation of flats fishes and their habitats in a multi-stressor world. ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES 2023; 106:117-130. [PMID: 36686288 PMCID: PMC9847458 DOI: 10.1007/s10641-023-01391-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Coastal marine fisheries and the habitats that support them are under extensive and increasing pressures from numerous anthropogenic stressors that occur at multiple spatial and temporal scales and often intersect in unexpected ways. Frequently, the scales at which these fisheries are managed do not match the scales of the stressors, much less the geographic scale of species biology. In general, fishery management is ill prepared to address these stressors, as underscored by the continuing lack of integration of fisheries and habitat management. However, research of these fisheries is increasingly being conducted at spatial and temporal scales that incorporate biology and ecological connectivity of target species, with growing attention to the foundational role of habitat. These efforts are also increasingly engaging stakeholders and rights holders in research, education, and conservation. This multi-method approach is essential for addressing pressing conservation challenges that are common to flats ecosystems. Flats fisheries occur in the shallow, coastal habitat mosaic that supports fish species that are accessible to and desirable to target by recreational fishers. Because these species rely upon coastal habitats, the anthropogenic stressors can be especially intense-habitat alteration (loss and degradation) and water quality declines are being exacerbated by climate change and increasing direct human impacts (e.g., fishing effort, boat traffic, depredation, pollution). The connections necessary for effective flats conservation are of many modes and include ontogenetic habitat connectivity; connections between stressors and impacts to fishes; connections between research and management, such as research informing spawning area protections; and engagement of stakeholders and rights holders in research, education, and management. The articles included in this Special Issue build upon a growing literature that is filling knowledge gaps for flats fishes and their habitats and increasingly providing the evidence to inform resource management. Indeed, numerous articles in this issue propose or summarize direct application of research findings to management with a focus on current and future conservation challenges. As with many other fisheries, a revised approach to management and conservation is needed in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Adams
- Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, 2937 SW 27Th Avenue, Suite 203, Miami, FL 33133 USA
- Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, 5600 US 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL 34946 USA
| | - Andy J. Danylchuk
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA 01003 USA
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6 Canada
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15
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Bassi C, Guerriero P, Pierantoni M, Callegari E, Sabbioni S. Novel Virus Identification through Metagenomics: A Systematic Review. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12122048. [PMID: 36556413 PMCID: PMC9784588 DOI: 10.3390/life12122048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Metagenomic Next Generation Sequencing (mNGS) allows the evaluation of complex microbial communities, avoiding isolation and cultivation of each microbial species, and does not require prior knowledge of the microbial sequences present in the sample. Applications of mNGS include virome characterization, new virus discovery and full-length viral genome reconstruction, either from virus preparations enriched in culture or directly from clinical and environmental specimens. Here, we systematically reviewed studies that describe novel virus identification through mNGS from samples of different origin (plant, animal and environment). Without imposing time limits to the search, 379 publications were identified that met the search parameters. Sample types, geographical origin, enrichment and nucleic acid extraction methods, sequencing platforms, bioinformatic analytical steps and identified viral families were described. The review highlights mNGS as a feasible method for novel virus discovery from samples of different origins, describes which kind of heterogeneous experimental and analytical protocols are currently used and provides useful information such as the different commercial kits used for the purification of nucleic acids and bioinformatics analytical pipelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Bassi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratorio per Le Tecnologie delle Terapie Avanzate (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Paola Guerriero
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Laboratorio per Le Tecnologie delle Terapie Avanzate (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Marina Pierantoni
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Elisa Callegari
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Silvia Sabbioni
- Laboratorio per Le Tecnologie delle Terapie Avanzate (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-053-245-5319
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Richard JC, Leis EM, Dunn CD, Harris C, Agbalog RE, Campbell LJ, Knowles S, Waller DL, Putnam JG, Goldberg TL. Freshwater Mussels Show Elevated Viral Richness and Intensity during a Mortality Event. Viruses 2022; 14:v14122603. [PMID: 36560607 PMCID: PMC9785814 DOI: 10.3390/v14122603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Freshwater mussels (Unionida) are among the world's most imperiled taxa, but the relationship between freshwater mussel mortality events and infectious disease is largely unstudied. We surveyed viromes of a widespread and abundant species (mucket, Actinonaias ligamentina; syn: Ortmanniana ligamentina) experiencing a mortality event of unknown etiology in the Huron River, Michigan, in 2019-2020 and compared them to viromes from mucket in a healthy population in the St. Croix River, Wisconsin and a population from the Clinch River, Virginia and Tennessee, where a mortality event was affecting the congeneric pheasantshell (Actinonaias pectorosa; syn: Ortmanniana pectorosa) population. We identified 38 viruses, most of which were associated with mussels collected during the Huron River mortality event. Viral richness and cumulative viral read depths were significantly higher in moribund mussels from the Huron River than in healthy controls from each of the three populations. Our results demonstrate significant increases in the number and intensity of viral infections for freshwater mussels experiencing mortality events, whereas individuals from healthy populations have a substantially reduced virome comprising a limited number of species at low viral read depths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan C. Richard
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Freshwater & Marine Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53711, USA
- Southwestern Virginia Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Abingdon, VA 24210, USA
- Correspondence: (J.C.R.); (T.L.G.)
| | - Eric M. Leis
- La Crosse Fish Health Center, Midwest Fisheries Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Onalaska, WI 54650, USA
| | - Christopher D. Dunn
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Freshwater & Marine Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Cleyo Harris
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Waterford, MI 48327, USA
| | - Rose E. Agbalog
- Southwestern Virginia Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Abingdon, VA 24210, USA
| | - Lewis J. Campbell
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Freshwater & Marine Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Susan Knowles
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Diane L. Waller
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA
| | - Joel G. Putnam
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA
| | - Tony L. Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences and Freshwater & Marine Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53711, USA
- Correspondence: (J.C.R.); (T.L.G.)
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17
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Solomon C, Hewson I. Putative Invertebrate, Plant, and Wastewater Derived ssRNA Viruses in Plankton of the Anthropogenically Impacted Anacostia River, District of Columbia, USA. Microbes Environ 2022; 37:ME21070. [PMID: 35264468 PMCID: PMC9763036 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me21070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Anacostia River is a highly impacted watershed in the Northeastern United States which experiences combined sewage outfall in downstream waters. We examined the composition of RNA viruses at three sites in the river using viral metagenomics. Viromes had well represented Picornaviruses, Tombusviruses, Wolframviruses, Nodaviruses, with fewer Tobamoviruses, Sobemoviruses, and Densoviruses (ssDNA). Phylogenetic ana-lyses of detected viruses provide evidence for putatively autochthonous and allochthonous invertebrate, plant, and vertebrate host origin. The number of viral genomes matching Ribovaria increased downstream, and assemblages were most disparate between distant sites, suggesting impacts of the combined sewage overflows at these sites. Additionally, we recovered a densovirus genome fragment which was highly similar to the Clinch ambidensovirus 1, which has been attributed to mass mortality of freshwater mussels in Northeastern America. Taken together, these data suggest that RNA viromes of the Anacostia River reflect autochthonous production of virus particles by benthic metazoan and plants, and inputs from terrestrial habitats including sewage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Solomon
- School of Science, Technology, Accessibility, Mathematics and Public Health, Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002 USA
| | - Ian Hewson
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Wing Hall 403, Ithaca NY 14853 USA, Corresponding author. E-mail: ; Tel: +1–607–255–0151; Fax: +1–607–255–3904
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18
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Mussel Mass Mortality and the Microbiome: Evidence for Shifts in the Bacterial Microbiome of a Declining Freshwater Bivalve. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9091976. [PMID: 34576872 PMCID: PMC8471132 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Freshwater mussels (Unionida) are suffering mass mortality events worldwide, but the causes remain enigmatic. Here, we describe an analysis of bacterial loads, community structure, and inferred metabolic pathways in the hemolymph of pheasantshells (Actinonaias pectorosa) from the Clinch River, USA, during a multi-year mass mortality event. Bacterial loads were approximately 2 logs higher in moribund mussels (cases) than in apparently healthy mussels (controls). Bacterial communities also differed between cases and controls, with fewer sequence variants (SVs) and higher relative abundances of the proteobacteria Yokenella regensburgei and Aeromonas salmonicida in cases than in controls. Inferred bacterial metabolic pathways demonstrated a predominance of degradation, utilization, and assimilation pathways in cases and a predominance of biosynthesis pathways in controls. Only two SVs correlated with Clinch densovirus 1, a virus previously shown to be strongly associated with mortality in this system: Deinococcota and Actinobacteriota, which were associated with densovirus-positive and densovirus-negative mussels, respectively. Overall, our results suggest that bacterial invasion and shifts in the bacterial microbiome during unionid mass mortality events may result from primary insults such as viral infection or environmental stressors. If so, bacterial communities in mussel hemolymph may be sensitive, if generalized, indicators of declining mussel health.
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19
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Ramírez-Martínez MM, Bennett AJ, Dunn CD, Yuill TM, Goldberg TL. Bat Flies of the Family Streblidae (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important "Bat-Associated" Viruses. Viruses 2021; 13:v13050860. [PMID: 34066683 PMCID: PMC8150819 DOI: 10.3390/v13050860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bat flies (Hippoboscoidea: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of bats. We collected streblid bat flies from the New World (México) and the Old World (Uganda), and used metagenomics to identify their viruses. In México, we found méjal virus (Rhabdoviridae; Vesiculovirus), Amate virus (Reoviridae: Orbivirus), and two unclassified viruses of invertebrates. Méjal virus is related to emerging zoonotic encephalitis viruses and to the agriculturally important vesicular stomatitis viruses (VSV). Amate virus and its sister taxon from a bat are most closely related to mosquito- and tick-borne orbiviruses, suggesting a previously unrecognized orbivirus transmission cycle involving bats and bat flies. In Uganda, we found mamucuso virus (Peribunyaviridae: Orthobunyavirus) and two unclassified viruses (a rhabdovirus and an invertebrate virus). Mamucuso virus is related to encephalitic viruses of mammals and to viruses from nycteribiid bat flies and louse flies, suggesting a previously unrecognized orthobunyavirus transmission cycle involving hippoboscoid insects. Bat fly virus transmission may be neither strictly vector-borne nor strictly vertical, with opportunistic feeding by bat flies occasionally leading to zoonotic transmission. Many "bat-associated" viruses, which are ecologically and epidemiologically associated with bats but rarely or never found in bats themselves, may actually be viruses of bat flies or other bat ectoparasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- María M. Ramírez-Martínez
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud y Ecología Humana, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Autlán CP 48900, Mexico;
| | - Andrew J. Bennett
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (A.J.B.); (C.D.D.); (T.M.Y.)
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center–Frederick, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Christopher D. Dunn
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (A.J.B.); (C.D.D.); (T.M.Y.)
| | - Thomas M. Yuill
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (A.J.B.); (C.D.D.); (T.M.Y.)
| | - Tony L. Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (A.J.B.); (C.D.D.); (T.M.Y.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-608-890-2618
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20
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Hewson I, Sewell MA. Surveillance of densoviruses and mesomycetozoans inhabiting grossly normal tissues of three Aotearoa New Zealand asteroid species. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0241026. [PMID: 33886557 PMCID: PMC8061988 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Asteroid wasting events and mass mortality have occurred for over a century. We currently lack a fundamental understanding of the microbial ecology of asteroid disease, with disease investigations hindered by sparse information about the microorganisms associated with grossly normal specimens. We surveilled viruses and protists associated with grossly normal specimens of three asteroid species (Patiriella regularis, Stichaster australis, Coscinasterias muricata) on the North Island / Te Ika-a-Māui, Aotearoa New Zealand, using metagenomes prepared from virus and ribosome-sized material. We discovered several densovirus-like genome fragments in our RNA and DNA metagenomic libraries. Subsequent survey of their prevalence within populations by quantitative PCR (qPCR) demonstrated their occurrence in only a few (13%) specimens (n = 36). Survey of large and small subunit rRNAs in metagenomes revealed the presence of a mesomycete (most closely matching Ichthyosporea sp.). Survey of large subunit prevalence and load by qPCR revealed that it is widely detectable (80%) and present predominately in body wall tissues across all 3 species of asteroid. Our results raise interesting questions about the roles of these microbiome constituents in host ecology and pathogenesis under changing ocean conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Hewson
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Mary A. Sewell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Brian JI, Ollard IS, Aldridge DC. Don't move a mussel? Parasite and disease risk in conservation action. Conserv Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua I. Brian
- Aquatic Ecology Group, The David Attenborough Building, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Isobel S. Ollard
- Aquatic Ecology Group, The David Attenborough Building, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - David C. Aldridge
- Aquatic Ecology Group, The David Attenborough Building, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- BioRISC St Catharine's College Cambridge UK
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Hewson I, Aquino CA, DeRito CM. Virome Variation during Sea Star Wasting Disease Progression in Pisaster ochraceus (Asteroidea, Echinodermata). Viruses 2020; 12:E1332. [PMID: 33233680 PMCID: PMC7699681 DOI: 10.3390/v12111332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) is a condition that has affected asteroids for over 120 years, yet mechanistic understanding of this wasting etiology remains elusive. We investigated temporal virome variation in two Pisaster ochraceus specimens that wasted in the absence of external stimuli and two specimens that did not experience SSWD for the duration of our study, and compared viromes of wasting lesion margin tissues to both artificial scar margins and grossly normal tissues over time. Global assembly of all SSWD-affected tissue libraries resulted in 24 viral genome fragments represented in >1 library. Genome fragments mostly matched densoviruses and picornaviruses with fewer matching nodaviruses, and a sobemovirus. Picornavirus-like and densovirus-like genome fragments were most similar to viral genomes recovered in metagenomic study of other marine invertebrates. Read recruitment revealed only two picornavirus-like genome fragments that recruited from only SSWD-affected specimens, but neither was unique to wasting lesions. Wasting lesion margin reads recruited to a greater number of viral genotypes (i.e., richness) than did either scar tissue and grossly normal tissue reads. Taken together, these data suggest that no single viral genome fragment was associated with SSWD. Rather, wasting lesion margins may generally support viral proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Hewson
- Department of Microbiology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA;
| | - Citlalli A. Aquino
- Department of Biology, Estuary and Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA 94920, USA;
| | - Christopher M. DeRito
- Department of Microbiology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA;
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